Move over Husker football — Nebraska volleyball is serving up the next chapter in the 100-year history of the university’s iconic Memorial Stadium.
To celebrate the impact of volleyball on the Cornhusker State, the Nebraska volleyball program will host the University of Nebraska at Omaha at 7 p.m. Aug. 30 in Memorial Stadium. The game is part of a doubleheader that will feature a 4:30 p.m. exhibition between the University of Nebraska at Kearney and Wayne State College.
Announced Feb. 24, the “Volleyball Day in Nebraska” celebration will close with a concert featuring a to-be-announced national recording artist.
“This is going to be a fantastic celebration of volleyball in the state of Nebraska,” said Trev Alberts, vice chancellor and director of athletics. “Our Husker program has long been a source of pride throughout the state, and we are also proud that the success of Nebraska volleyball has played a large role in the exponential growth of the sport in Nebraska. We know our great fan base will embrace Volleyball Day in Nebraska and turn out in full force for this historic event.”
The celebration has the potential to break NCAA volleyball attendance records. The largest-ever crowd for an NCAA volleyball match is 18,755 when Nebraska played Wisconsin on Dec. 18, 2021 in the NCAA Final at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The largest NCAA regular-season crowd is 16,833, a mark set when Wisconsin hosted Florida on Sept. 16, 2022.
“This year marks the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium, which was built in 1923 in honor of the veterans of World War I,” Chancellor Ronnie Green said. “We had an epic event a year ago, you’ll remember that concert with Garth Brooks, that was a new use of the stadium.
“Now we are preparing for another big opportunity to fill the stadium and show the nation that the epicenter of collegiate volleyball is in Nebraska.”
Tickets, which will be $25 for adults and $5 for high school and under, will go on sale to Nebraska volleyball season-ticket holders on April 25. Tickets to the outdoor match will not be part of the Nebraska volleyball season-ticket package and must be purchased separately. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on April 26. A ticket will gain entrance to both volleyball matches and the concert.
Ticket information for Nebraska, UNO, UNK and Wayne State students will be announced. Everyone, regardless of age, must have a ticket for admittance. Ticket sales will begin with North Stadium and the furthest north sections in East and West Stadiums. All seats will be reserved.
The Nebraska-UNO outdoor match will be televised on the Big Ten Network and streamed on the FOX Sports app. Streaming and possible television details for the UNK-Wayne State match are to be determined.
In order to count as an official NCAA volleyball record, the official attendance must be counted at the conclusion of the second set of the Nebraska-UNO match. Anyone entering Memorial Stadium after that point will not count toward the total attendance.
Ted Carter, president of the University of Nebraska system, challenged volleyball fans statewide to attend the celebration.
“We have sold out this stadium for every sporting event we’ve put in that stadium since 1962,” Carter said. “Let’s pack the stadium. Let’s sell this thing out and show the world how great we as Nebraskans are as sports fans.”
Governor Jim Pillen capped the press conference announcing the signing a proclamation about Volleyball Day in Nebraska. He also appointed John Cook, head coach of Husker volleyball, as an admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska.
“It’s pretty surreal that this is all happening,” Cook said. “We are dreaming big — and I think it’s going to be a really special day.”
Watch the entire Volleyball Day in Nebraska press conference here.
